Vision correction with LASIK gives you better vision. The results it produces are usually so excellent you no longer need glasses.

But, it only treats refractive errors, which are eye issues that stem from a misshapen cornea. Nearsightedness, farsightedness, and astigmatism all result from poor cornea shape.

All three of these refractive errors don’t focus light on your retina. Instead, they focus it in front of or behind your retina or scatter light in your eye.

On the other hand, Cataracts occur when proteins in the lens of your eye break down and clump together. This clumping causes your lens to turn white, preventing light from reaching your retina.

If you have cataracts, LASIK will not help your vision. Instead, you need cataract surgery. Even if you had to wear glasses your entire life, cataract surgery might resolve that!

Keep reading to learn more about cataract surgery and why it’s the only way to treat cataracts.

How Does Cataract Surgery Work?

The point of cataract surgery is not to remove the cataract itself but remove your natural lens entirely. Cataracts grow inside of your lens, not on top of it.

The lens sits just behind your pupil and helps the cornea focus light on your retina. When cataracts begin to grow, the lens starts to become less translucent.

They cause distorted vision, dull and faded colors, and eventually vision loss. Cataracts develop in most people, making cataract surgery the most common medical procedure in the country.

To remove the lens of your eye, your surgeon begins by creating an incision in your cornea. Now accessible to the surgeon, the lens gets broken apart using ultrasound waves. Breaking the lens into smaller bits makes it easier to remove.

The pieces of the lens get extracted with gentle suction. Once the lens is out of your eye, you won’t be able to see at all.

You need an artificial lens to replace your natural lens that just got removed. The solution is an artificial lens called an intraocular lens or IOL to take its place.

IOLs come in a wide variety of styles. Premium IOLs are what you want to opt for to reduce your dependence on glasses.

You may need to pay out of pocket for a premium IOL, as insurance and Medicare do not cover them. But the visual freedom they provide is worth the cost.

Premium IOLs do not guarantee that you will no longer need glasses, but they give you a pretty good chance. Any premium IOL will significantly reduce your dependence on glasses.

Some will eliminate that dependence, even if you have astigmatism. Toric model IOls can correct your astigmatism and give you the best eyesight of your life!

How Do You Recover From Cataract Surgery?

Recovering from cataract surgery is straightforward. You need to be careful not to bump or rub your eyes for a few months.

Your eyes will heal and adjust to your new lenses within this time. But you can go back to most everyday activities within a day or two of your cataract surgery.

Are you ready to get rid of your cataracts? Schedule a cataract screening at Vision Care of Maine in Bangor, ME. See if it’s time to have your cataracts removed!